Engine-house appliance.



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Patented Aug 20, I90I D T SPRING &. A LONG ENGINE HOUSE APPLIANGE. (Apphcatlon led Apr 9, 1901 7N. asignen.

(no Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL T. SPRING AND ANDREW LONG, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGlNIA.

ENGINE-HOUSE APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,081, dated August 20, 1901.

` Application filed April 9, 1901. Serial No. 55,092. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, DANIEL T. SPRING. and ANDREW LONG., citizens of the United States,

j residing at Wheeling, in the county of Ohio purpose.

`in any selected way.

and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-House Appliances; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to releasing mechanism for engine-houses of a fire department of a village, town, or city to automatically liberate the horses when an alarm ot' lire is sent in, so they may quickly take their places under the harness `preparatory `to being hitched, the purpose being to save time and leasing mechanism, the dotted lines showing v the operation of the parts.

The operating parts are attached to a base z 'or support 1, consisting of a plate either of` slate, wood, or other material selected for the ,l The operating parts comprise the releasing-bar 2, mounted for sliding move-l ment upon the base or support and adapted to be connected with the part to be released A stop 3 projects laterally from the releasing-bar and is adapted `to he engaged by a pivoted lock-bar 4. when it is required to prevent actuation of the rel`easing bar when disengaged from its restraining means on receipt of an alarm or operation of the actuating-lever. The lock-bar 4 is normally turned so as not to extend in the path of the stop V3; but when from any -causeit is `desired to prevent the automatic operation of the releasing mechanism the lock-bar is turned so as to extend across the path of the stop 3. A strap or hitch 5 of any design and construction `has connection with the releasingebar 2 and is connected with the door or other part to be released.

A holding-arm 6 is pivoted at one end to a post 7, attached to the base, and its opposite end is formed with an extension 8, to be engaged by a pin or stop 9, carried by the actuating-lever 10. This holding-arm is longitudinally slotted, as shown at 11, and a pin or stud 12, attached to the releasing-har 2, is adapted to make positive connection withthe holding-arm by passing through the slot 11 thereof. A spring 13 serves to return the holdingiarin to a normal position when the releasing-bar 2 is disengaged from the hitch 5 or part to be released. A stop 14, attached to the base 1, limits the upward movement of the holding-arm. The upper portion of the projection 8 is beveled, so as to ride upon the pin or stop 9 and admit of the projection 8 passing by the part 9 when the holding-arm is returning to a normal position. This holding-arm supports the releasing-bar against the tension of the weight, spring, or other force normally tending to release the animals or open the door.

The actuating-lever 10 is pivoted near one end to a post 15, attached to the base 1, and its short arm carries the pin or stop` 9, which engages under the projection 8 and supports the holding-arm against the force normally tending to release the part which under normal conditions is closed and made secure. The long arm of the actuating-lever carries an armature 16 for cooperation with an electromagnet 17 in the alarm-circuit. This electromagnet is included in a closed circuit, hence normally attracts the armature 16 and holds the pin or stop 9 under the projection 8. When the circuit is broken, as by the turning in of an alarm, the electromagnet 17 is demagnetized, and the lever 10, moving un der the tension of the spring 18, as indicated by the dotted lines, withdraws the pin or stop 9 from under .the projection 8, and the holding-arm 6 being unsupported permits the releasing-bar to slide and the part or parts connected therewith to become automatically released. The spring 18 is normally under tension, which tension can be varied in the usual way and is sufticient to move the lever; so as IDO to withdrawth'e -pinor `stop 9from'und'er theI projection 8.

A rod or bar 19 has connection with the long arm of the actuating-lever and is mounted for sliding movement and is providedwith a stop 2O to be struck bythehammer 2'1 of a gong or audible signal. This stop 20 has adjustable connection with the rod 19, and when the gong is sounded by `theturning in of an alarm the irst stroke of the hammer imparts a sliding -movement to the rod 19 and moves the actuati-ng-levenso 'as to withdraw: the stop or pin 9 from supporting engagement With the holdin g-arm 6,When the result hereinf before described takes place. The rod 19, in1 conjunction with the hammer 21 of the gong, may'beused independently of or in conjunction with the electromagnet 17 andspring 18, so as to effect an-automatic release of the partE in the engine-house to'be liberated. I

The armature 16 has adjustable connection with-the actuating-lever'lO, so as to vary thez engagement between the parts S and 9 to?` make Ithe mechanism more or less sensitivel to actuation when an alarm is turnedin. The manner of adjustably-conn'ecting the arma-c ture With'the lever'lO is not essential'solongi as it serves to vary the position of the stop 9- with reference to the extension 8. As shown, the armature is pivoted toa stem 22, slidaloly4 mounted fin an opening of the lever 10 and held in an adjusted position by a pair ofi clamp-nuts 23. The armature 16 bears against ya given position, substantially as set forth.

2. In releasing'mechanism of the character described, a releasing-bar, an armfor holding lthe releasing-bar in a given position, an actuatng-lever for securing thesaid arm in a normal position,an electromagnet and arma- `=ture foi-'holdin g the -actuating-lever in a given position, and an operatingrod adapted to move the actuating-leverby receiving the imlpact ot' a gong-hammer, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof We afxsour signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

DANIEL T. SPRING. ANDREW LONG.

`Witnessesz WILLIAM N. MARQUIS, CHAS. M. DITTMAR.

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